Characterization of Ni(Si,Ge) films on epitaxial SiGe(100) formed by microwave annealing

Abstract

Microwave annealing (MWA) is investigated as an alternative technique to rapid thermal processing with halogen lamp heating (RTP) for low-temperature silicide formation on epitaxially grown Si0.81Ge0.19 layers. Phase formation, resistivity mapping, morphology analysis, and composition evaluation indicate that the formation of low-resistivity NiSi1−xGex by means of MWA occurs at temperatures about 100 °C lower than by RTP. Under similar annealing conditions, more severe strain relaxation and defect generation are therefore found in the remaining Si0.81Ge0.19 layers treated by MWA. Although silicidation by microwave heating is in essence also due to thermal effects, details in heating mechanisms differ from RTP.